Description
A hearty and spicy chickpea stew cooked with vibrant vegetables and warming spices, served alongside zesty wholemeal couscous with toasted almonds. This comforting dish is perfect for an easy weeknight meal and delivers a satisfying blend of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Stew
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 onions (320g), roughly chopped
- 2 green peppers, deseeded and cut into cubes
- 2 tsp hot chilli powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 500ml carton passata
- 2 x 400g cans chickpeas
- 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
- 40g flame raisins
- ½ lemon, juiced, flesh scooped out and white pith removed, then zest finely chopped (you’ll need 2 tsp)
- 350g cauliflower florets
- 15g parsley, chopped (divided)
Couscous
- 140g wholemeal couscous
- 175ml boiling water
- Juice of ½ lemon (from the ½ lemon used in stew)
- 40g toasted flaked almonds
- Most of the remaining parsley
Instructions
- Fry onions: Heat the rapeseed oil in a large lidded pan over medium heat. Add the roughly chopped onions and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring often until they become golden brown.
- Cook peppers: Stir in the deseeded and cubed green peppers and cook for an additional 5 minutes with the onions.
- Add spices and liquids: Add the hot chilli powder, ground coriander, and ground cumin to the pan. Stir briefly to release their aromas, then pour in the passata and the chickpeas along with their liquid from the cans.
- Season and add extras: Stir in the vegetable bouillon powder, flame raisins, and the finely chopped lemon zest. Then add the cauliflower florets into the stew.
- Simmer the stew: Cover the pan tightly and let the stew simmer over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Stir in half of the chopped parsley towards the end.
- Prepare couscous: While the stew simmers, place the wholemeal couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour 175ml of boiling water over it, stir in the lemon juice, then cover and let it sit for about 10 minutes until the couscous has absorbed the liquid and softened.
- Finish couscous: Once tender, fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the toasted flaked almonds and most of the remaining parsley.
- Serve: Divide half of the couscous between two plates, top with half of the chickpea stew, then garnish with the remaining parsley. The remaining stew and couscous can be cooled and stored covered in the fridge for up to three days.
- Reheat: To reheat, warm the stew gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of water until piping hot, and reheat the couscous in the microwave.
Notes
- The stew can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for up to three days.
- Reheat gently to preserve the texture of the chickpeas and cauliflower.
- You can adjust the level of chili powder to suit your preferred heat intensity.
- Wholemeal couscous adds extra fiber compared to regular couscous.
- To make the dish vegan, ensure the vegetable bouillon powder contains no animal-derived ingredients.
- Serve with a side of fresh salad or steamed greens for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: spicy chickpea stew, vegetarian stew, chickpea recipe, healthy dinner, wholemeal couscous, easy stovetop recipe, Middle Eastern inspired stew
